Aunty agnes shea scholarships
The Aunty Agnes Shea Scholarship fund is dedicated to the memory of Aunty Agnes Shea OAM and continuing her legacy
The Inaugural Patron of Yerrabi Yurwang, Aunty Agnes Shea OAM was a highly respected Elder of the Ngunnawal People of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and surrounding regions. For many decades, Aunty Agnes was a strong voice for Aboriginal People and her Community, advocating, among many things, for better education of younger generations. By providing opportunities for Aboriginal people to gain educational qualifications, Yerrabi Yurwang continues her legacy by contributing to the growth of a knowledgeable and skilled Aboriginal workforce educating and caring for future generations.
About aunty agnes shea scholarships program
The Aunty Agnes Shea Early Childhood Education Scholarships offer opportunities for Aboriginal people living on Ngunnawal Country to gain qualifications in Early Childhood Education or enhance their existing Early Childhood Education qualifications. Yerrabi Yurwang is supporting community members to find meaningful employment with the knowledge, skills and supports to deliver high quality, culturally informed, responsive and safe services for children in our community.
Yerrabi Yurwang aims to increase the number of qualified Aboriginal Early Childhood Educators in the early education sector in the ACT to support Yerrabi’s vision of a highly qualified and sustainable Aboriginal workforce which meets the cultural obligations and needs of Aboriginal children and families.
The Scholarship program will provide both financial, study and wrap-around support for scholarship recipients to promote a positive and fulfilling learning experience ensuring high levels of completion.
what's on offer?
Full Scholarship including:
- CERT III or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, or Bachelor Early Childhood Education (Birth to 5 years)
- Ongoing support from the Scholarship team and broader Yerrabi Yurwang team to succeed in your studies.
These scholarships are available to Torres Strait Islander people; however, priority will be given to Aboriginal people in recognition that we are on Aboriginal land.
Frequently Asked questions
Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care: No current qualifications are required to apply.
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care: You must have successfully completed the Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to 5 years):
You are required to have one of the following:
- Year 12 ATAR of 60 or above
- Other Australian Qualification
- Work experience
- Overseas qualification, or
- Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
You do not necessarily require prior experience in Early Childhood Education to apply for the scholarship program.
Further details regarding eligibility criteria can be found in the Application Guidelines below.
No. You do not have to be working in the Early Childhood Education sector however, applicants who are currently employed in Koori pre-schools will be considered first priority and applicants who are currently employed in an Early Childhood Education and Care Centre will be considered second priority.
Yes, these scholarships are for Aboriginal people residing in the ACT.
The scholarship ensures the full fee of your chosen qualification covered.
There may be some out of pocket costs to the scholarship recipient incurred e.g. materials and resources.
Additional financial support may be available through the scholarship funding but this will be assessed on a needs basis and the funds available at the time of the application or request. Yerrabi Yurwang will endeavour to provide the scholarship recipient with support to cover these costs if the recipient is unable to do so themselves.
A Scholarship Committee has been formed to review all applications and make the decision if an applicant is successful. The Scholarship Committee includes a family representative of the Shea family, Yerrabi Yurwang leadership and stakeholders from the education sector.
Applications will be evaluated by the Committee to determine each application’s merit and rank them against the following additional criteria:
The priority cohort :
- Primary priority cohort – Employees in Koori Preschools
- Secondary priority cohort – Employees in Early Childhood Education and Care settings
- Tertiary priority cohort – People wanting a career in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector
Your application and referee checks.
Ready to Apply?
Please find the Application Guidelines here.
All applications are to be submitted online.
If you wish to apply, please find the online application form to the right.
Any questions, please contact Elena – Manager Aunty Agnes Shea Scholarships:
Phone: 0400 123 258
Email: elena@yerrabi.org.au